Chen Gexin

Chen Gexin (Chinese: 陳歌辛; pinyin: Chén Gēxīn; Wade–Giles: Ch'en Ko-hsin; September 19, 1914 — January 25, 1961) was a Chinese popular music songwriter. He also used the pen names Lín Méi (林枚) and Qìng Yú (慶餘).

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Chen.
Chen Gexin
Chen Gexin
Born(1914-09-19)September 19, 1914
Nanhui District, Shanghai, Republic of China
DiedJanuary 25, 1961(1961-01-25) (aged 46)
Baimiaoling, Anhui, China
Spouse(s)
Jin Jiaoli
(
m. 1935⁠–⁠1961)
Children
  • Chen Gang (son)
  • Chen Keng (son)
  • Chen Dong (son)
  • Chen Xiao Li (daughter)
RelativesChen Fanhong (granddaughter)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese陳歌辛
Simplified Chinese陈歌辛

Biography
Chen Gexin and wife Jin Jiaoli

Chen was born on September 19, 1914 to an elite Shanghai family, and his maternal grandfather was from India. He married his admirer and student Jin Jiaoli, against her wealthy family's wishes in 1935. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, he was jailed by the Imperial Japanese Army for his patriotic songs. Chen and his family moved to Hong Kong after the war ended.

With the Communist seizure of power in China in 1949, popular music was considered ideologically suspect[1] and Chen was labeled a rightist and imprisoned in a laogai for "reform through labor" at Baimiaoling farm, Anhui in 1957, there he befriended a journalist named Ai Yi.

According to an essay and reports by Ai Yi, Chen died in his sleep due to starvation and illness on January 25, 1961 at the age of 47, during the Great Chinese Famine period. He was buried in the mass grave at the hill near the farm. A year later, Chen's widow Jin Jiaoli went there with a box to search through the dead bodies in a vain effort to collect his remains.

Music

Throughout his life, Chen had produced more than 200 songs. On top of that, he conducted symphony orchestras and held recitals for many times. Chen was the composer of famous mid-20th century popular standards as Shanghai Nights (夜上海) and The Blossom of Youth (花樣年華), both sung by Zhou Xuan. His song Rose, Rose, I Love You, sung by American singer Frankie Laine in 1951, is the only major popular music hit in the United States by a Chinese composer. When Chen's youngest son went to the United States for advanced education, he was able to meet Laine and thereafter maintained a correspondence. Another of his songs titled, Wishing You Happiness and Prosperity was originally written to celebrate the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War and has become a popular Chinese New Year standard. His music continues to be performed and is featured in films such as Eros.

Descendants

Chen Gexin and his muse Jin Jiaoli (金嬌麗) are the parents of Chinese classical composer, Chen Gang (陳剛 Chén Gāng) and grandfather of China's first "Miss Internet," Chen Fanhong.[2]

Notes
  1. "Panorama of Musical Creation: Vocal Music" Archived 2007-06-18 at the Wayback Machine at China Culture Information Net
  2. "Handicapped Miss Internet blasts mag" Archived September 25, 2006, at the Wayback Machine at Enablenet - News
gollark: ~play any given day - my doom
gollark: Also less heavy.
gollark: ~play asking alexandria - into the fire
gollark: There. That is a less heavy thing.
gollark: ~play from ashes to new - panic
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